Amherst opens Dave Carlon era with defense-first focus

Overview

• Dave Carlon begins his first season as Amherst's head coach after prior coaching experience at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute.
• Carlon said Amherst is "gaining confidence everyday" and wants to compete while beginning to build the program back.
• The Tigers expect defense to be their biggest strength, with linebacker flow and defensive line play central to the identity Carlon wants to establish.
• Maddox Nedescu is a player to watch after throwing for 317 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for 175 yards and adding 284 kick-return yards in 2025.
• Amherst's home schedule includes Maryvale on Sept. 18, Williamsville South on Sept. 25 and Sweet Home on Oct. 22.

Amherst Tigers 2026 Football Preview

Dave Carlon's first season as head coach at Amherst starts with a young roster, a defense-first plan and a direct goal for the Tigers.

"We are gaining confidence everyday," Carlon said. "Our goal this season is to compete to the best of our ability and begin to build this program back."

Carlon comes to Amherst with prior coaching experience at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute. He also played at St. Joe's, was a first-team All-WNY selection in 1988, played in the 1989 Lions All-Star Game for the South Team and went on to become a four-year college starter at Division II University of New Haven.

Identity And Foundation

Carlon described Amherst as a young team that will rely on its defense to keep it in games. He named defense as the Tigers' expected strength and said linebacker flow and defensive line control will define the unit.

Offensively, Amherst's identity will include spread, pro and dual-threat elements. The Tigers' biggest areas to develop, according to Carlon, are quarterback and wide receiver.

The quarterback picture is still competitive. Carlon said Amherst has two sophomores and a junior competing for the role. One rostered quarterback is sophomore Michael Hamister, while junior Jack Barone is listed as a WR/QB/DB.

Players To Watch

Carlon identified Maddox Nedescu as a breakout candidate. Nedescu is a senior WR/DB who also brings previous varsity production. In 2025, he carried 56 times for 175 yards, completed 37 of 65 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns, and returned 13 kickoffs for 284 yards.

Jayson Leeper is another name Carlon wants readers to know. Leeper is listed as a junior RB/LB, and Carlon pointed to him as a new contributor moving into a larger role.

The Tigers also have some prior production back around the skill spots. Senior WR/DE Maurice Anderson caught 10 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns in 2025. Senior TE/LB Quinn Resendes caught 16 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown, added 17 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack, and handled punting duties with 24 punts for 705 yards in 2025.

Senior Ceejay Pratt gives Amherst another returning offensive option after rushing for 189 yards and two touchdowns in 2025. Junior Ben Teaman was active defensively as a sophomore last fall, finishing with 36 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Up front, Carlon named Jahaad Richardson, Cullen Krebbs, Glenn Moose, Santino Figueroa and Chris Smith as the players he expects to anchor the offensive and defensive lines. Richardson had 33 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles in 2025, while Moose had 26 tackles.

Carlon named Jacob Bonner as a special-teams player who could make a difference. Bonner is listed as a junior DE/TE/K.

Schedule Landmarks

Amherst's schedule begins with road and home dates before a late-September home stretch. The Tigers are scheduled to visit West Seneca East on Sept. 4, then host McKinley on Sept. 10 at Amherst Central High School's Dimp Wagner 48 Alumni Field.

The next two games are also at home: Maryvale on Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. and Williamsville South on Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.

October opens with three straight road games. Amherst visits Lake Shore on Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m., Lewiston Porter on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. and OC Rivals (Medina/Albion) on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.

The regular-season schedule closes Oct. 22 at home against Sweet Home at 6 p.m.

Carlon kept Amherst's measuring stick simple: compete. For a young Tigers team trying to build momentum, that standard will shape the first season under a new head coach.